EXAMINATION OF PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY IN T YPE-II DIABETICS - VALUE OFSENSORY THRESHOLD MEASUREMENT

In 210 Type II diabetics (39-87 years old) pedal sensibility threshold s for temperature, pain (PT) and vibration (VT) were measured, in 52 o f these patients motoric (N. peroneaus) and sensory (N. suralis) nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was determined. Cold thresholds (CT) were p athologic in 54.3%, VT in 40.9%, warmth threshold in 23.3% and PT in 4 ,3%. Only VT correlated significantly with diabetes duration (p <0.05) . In 35 controls CT and VT were abnormal in 17.1 and 0%, respectively. Motoric NCV was diminished in 20 of 52, sensory NCV in 22 of 52 patie nts. With clinically advanced peripheral neuropathy (n = 33), CT and V T were abnormal in 78.8 and 80%, respectively. In 14% of completely ev aluated patients CT alone was pathologic, in 11% it was normal despite other abnormal tests. Thus, CT is very sensitive even in elderly type -II diabetics. However, its usefullness as early indicator of sensory neuropathy remains still unclear because of the lack of specificity ob served in this study.